Japan extends help to Vietnam

- Japan will be providing two patrol ships to Vietnam and will also be extending an ODA load to help the latter in its socioeconomic projects

- The signing ceremony happened in Hanoi

- The two countries support the Philippines in its South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) claims

Japan and Vietnam have just inked a new partnership amidst the latter’s territorial rows with China.

The Japanese government revealed on Wednesday that it will be providing Vietnam with new patrol ships to help boost the maritime law-enforcement capabilities of countries who are in continued territorial rows against China.

Japan will be providing two large-sized patrol ships to Vietnam and five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, of their intention to extend help during their meeting held at the ASEAN summit in Vientiane, Laos.

An aerial view shows Japan Coast Guard patrol ship, fishing boats from Taiwan and Taiwan's Coast Guard vessel sailing side by side near the disputed islands in the East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japan, Diaoyu in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, in this photo taken by Kyodo in this file photo dated September 25, 2012. REUTERS/Kyodo

Aside from the patrol ships, Japan has already provided six used patrol ships to Vietnam.

Japan, also on Tuesday, agreed to an Official Development Assistance (ODA) deal US$108.37 million to Vietnam. This will be used to help boost the latter’s socioeconomic development for the fiscal year 2016.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung and Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Fukada Hiroshi put into writing and signed the notes on Japan’s ODA load to Vietnam.

“Vietnam vows commitment to the proper and most efficient use of the ODA loan,” Trung said.